Diet Coke –
eight liters a day,
seven days a week,
52 weeks a year…
That was me last year, and for the preceding I-don’t-know-how-many-years.
I like caffeine, but I was starting to worry about the aspartame - I mean do we really know what it is doing to us? – and just the general dependence thing…It all started in graduate school - I worked full-time and was in a full-time Master's program. I couldn’t pass a convenience store or a gas station without pulling in - and then there were vending machines on campus... First it was 12 ounce cans, and then they came out with that 20 ounce plastic bottle. The final nail in the coffin was when I discovered that the 20 oz. bottle was $1.29 and the liter bottle was only $1.59.
60% MORE FOR ONLY 30 CENTS.
Well, that was it…Now I was drinking a liter between convenience stores…I didn’t even have to steer…my car automatically pulled in…diet coke…the first thing I did in the morning and the last one on the nightstand going to bed…
So I quit --- February 2006.
Cold-Turkey.
For three weeks you’d have thought I had sworn off crack.
NO.
Of course not.
I’ve never tried crack; but withdrawal from crack can’t be any worse than what I went through.
So things were going pretty well for a while…months, even.
And then I had a latte. Okay, I used to have an espresso after dinner now and then…
‘Turned out coffee tasted pretty good. Publix had a non-dairy half & half…okay.
…I think you are already seeing where this is going…
There have been so many tradeshows, so much high intensity work - and Starbucks is so ubiquitous now you can’t escape if you wanted to…Starbucks…personally, I think they over roast their beans…but I’ve still visited them in Amsterdam and Vienna, Los Angeles and Tempe, Toronto and Phoenix and San Francisco and Miami…Yes, often.
Einstein Brothers has good coffee…they don’t over roast their beans…over roasting is okay with espresso, you want that taste…
Then I started at home after reading some coffee reviews…it turns out my favorite to make myself is Eight O’Clock, but only the whole bean 100% Columbian.
I recently found it on sale.
Two for one.
Let me tell you about my freezer…
Yep, Eight O’clock Coffee…I wish I was only drinking it from eight to eight…
Now in Panama City I haven’t found a Starbucks, but they do have two Dunkin’ Donuts, and yes, I’ve tried both. But heck, when I am in Panama I get café con leche at Manolo’s anyway…
So now the big decision…
Do I quit cold-turkey before I start having that last coffee of the day on my nightstand?
…and see what happens?
…or should I wean off gradually because I can still feel those headaches from February 2006?
Stay tuned…
Click here to mail me for sensible processing options to boost your bottom line and opportunities for branding and marketing exposure.
Click Here for Additional Help Starting or Improving Your Online Business
Make or Break – 21 Days
Copyright © 2026 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.
More Articles
WIA: Kristin Zuri-Godskind Draws on Deep Expertise to Elevate Sportsheets
After 18 years in the pleasure products industry, Kristin Zuri-Godskind has experienced the business from nearly every angle. Her career has taken her through retail, merchandising, management, distribution, sales, product education and manufacturing, giving her a perspective shaped as much by the sales floor as by the relationships she has built along the way.
Why Retail Expertise Is Essential When AI Tools Analyze Store Data
Somewhere in one of our stores, someone scanned a barcode into a quantity field. The number entered was 8,388,607. At $19.99 per unit, that made a single line item worth roughly $167 million. The number was so large that the import failed immediately.
Why Adult Retailers Need Better Training on Disability, Chronic Health
Every customer who walks into an adult store brings a different body, comfort level and set of needs. Retail staff already know how to ask the basics: Do you prefer vibration or suction? Are you using water-based or silicone lubricant? Do you have a latex allergy? What size are you comfortable with?
YourVids' Gino on Listening, Learning and Putting Creators First
Get Gino talking about the work creators pour into their careers, and his passion quickly becomes contagious. He deeply appreciates the people powering the business and has firm ideas about what they deserve in return.
Vendo CEO Mitch Platt Reflects on 20 Years of Lessons and Evolution
More than 20 years ago, three entrepreneurs in Barcelona began gathering over beers to pitch, dissect and routinely destroy one another's business ideas. The ritual was simple: One person arrived with a concept, while the other two tried to expose every weakness. Any proposal that survived earned another look. Most did not.
Abby Rose on Camming, Connection and Creative Chaos
Abby Rose has mastered the art of viewing life through rose-colored glasses, finding the good in even the most challenging circumstances. With the bubbly charm of Elle Woods and the steely determination of G.I. Jane, she pairs a resilient spirit with a deep love for bringing people together.
How to Avoid the Hidden Risks of AI-Generated Legal Documents
Artificial intelligence can write a contract in seconds, but that does not mean it can write the contract your business actually needs. Across the adult industry, operators, creators and producers are increasingly using generative AI to prepare model releases, performer agreements, privacy policies, takedown notices, employment documents and responses to regulators. The appeal is obvious: Legal work is expensive, AI is fast and the resulting document often looks impressively professional. That polished appearance is exactly what makes the practice dangerous.
Anastasia's Bedroom Founder Chelsea Mani Bridges Ecommerce With Local Events
Chelsea Mani spends her weekends at local markets, where she displays an assortment of lingerie ranging from new lace bodysuits and silky robes to carefully sourced, cleaned and pressed vintage pieces. Passersby stop to examine the fabrics, ask questions and sometimes find themselves opening up unexpectedly.
Karla Lane Talks Curves, Confidence and Career Longevity
With her killer curves poured into a slinky silver dress, longtime performer Karla Lane swept onto the XMAs stage in Miami earlier this year to claim the trophy for BBW Premium Social Media Star. As she ascended the steps, presenter and fellow performer Vicki Chase purred, "Come on, big mama," in a playful nod to Latto's viral anthem.
How Rolling Reserves Affect Cash Flow and Merchant Stability
You log in to your payment processor’s dashboard, discover they are withholding 10% of your sales, and immediately assume something has gone wrong. In reality, everything is working exactly as intended.
